The Houston Rockets enraged the Chinese government and some businesses after the team’s general manager, Daryl Morey, tweeted early last month: “Fight for Freedom, Stand with Hong Kong,” CNBC reports. Blowback came from Tencent, China’s internet behemoth, and the country’s state television broadcaster, which had vowed not to air Rocket games in the country. Morey quickly turned to Twitter again, clarifying that the tweet he sent out was not meant “to cause any offense to Rockets fans and friends of mine in China.” He further tweeted, “I would hope that those who are upset will know that offending or misunderstanding them was not my intention. My tweets are my own and in no way represent the Rockets or the NBA.”

Morey later steered clear of further controversy when he returned to the social media platform with a tweet promoting the Rocket’s 2019-2020 regular season opener, USA Today reports. Morey’s earlier tweet had prompted the Chinese Consulate General of Houston to urge the Rockets “to correct the error and take immediate concrete measures to eliminate the adverse impact,” The Houston Chronicle reports.

At the time of the Twitter controversy, the Rockets were said to be at risk of losing between $10 million and $25 million, and U.S. jobs in China, Houston and the NBA, a source had told The Houston Chronicle. While China did broadcast NBA games at the start of the season in mid-October, Rockets games were not aired, Fortune reports. Some Nike retailers in the country’s major cities had removed Rockets merchandise from their stores, Reuters reports.

Anheuser-Busch also became enmeshed in its own Twitter storm in September, MarketWatch reports. The firm piggy-backed on a national television appearance of an Iowa resident, Carson King, holding up a sign that read: Busch Light Supply Needs Replenished, at a college football game. King’s beer money sign attracted widespread attention and he used his 15 minutes of fame to raise more than $600,000 for University of Iowa’s Stead Children’s Hospital. Anheuser-Busch pledged to match donations.

But, what seemed like a brilliant marketing move by Anheuser-Busch backfired when the Des Moines Register newspaper reported some racist tweets that the 24-year-old King had sent out when he was 16. King apologized and Anheuser-Busch said it would “have no further association,” with King while promising to stick to its donation pledge. Still, the beer company drew the wrath of many on social media for abandoning King for something he did when he was 16.

Whether social media firestorms occur as a direct result of an executive’s tweet or from posts outside of a company’s control, a social media policy can lessen risks or help a company better deal with fallout, according to Ivy Walker, founder of AskCoda, a risk management and compliance specialist for small- and mid-sized business. Walker penned an article on the topic for Forbes. A solid social media policy will not only inform employees and give them guidance on what is and isn’t acceptable, but also provide the company with a plan on how to deal with a crisis if one should break out, Walker notes.

“Even if you aren’t actively using social media to promote your business, that won’t necessarily protect you against the dark side of the force,” Walker writes. “The off-duty behavior of people affiliated with your company can boomerang back on you and bring a metaphorical torch and pitchfork carrying social media mob to your business’s digital doorstep. Whether it’s an employee’s drunken rant caught on video that goes viral or an employee boasting about dangerously mistreating those you serve, if you haven’t prepared yourself to respond properly and swiftly, you could bear the brunt of behavior that seemingly has little to do with you.”